The 13th annual National Strip-Tillage Conference is heading to Springfield, Ill. on August 6-7, 2026. Join us to experience an energizing agenda featuring inspiring general session speakers, expert-led Strip-Till Classrooms, collaborative Strip-Till Roundtables and unlimited networking opportunities.
As input costs rise, it’s more important than ever to efficiently fertilize your crops and reduce weed competition. In this dynamic kickoff presentation, Brian Hefty, who’s been strip-tilling for over 20 years on his 4,000-acre farm near Baltic, S.D., explores how to fine-tune your nutrient management and crop protection plans with a comprehensive breakdown of soil tests, fertilizer rates/ placement, herbicides and spray timing/application.
“The goal is to have you walk away never thinking of fertility and weed control the same again,” says Hefty, the longtime co-host of Ag PhD Radio and TV, the industry’s leading agronomy shows.
Dean Sponheim
Sponheim Family Farm
Nora Springs, Iowa
GENERAL SESSION PRESENTATION
My Strip-Till Journey: Lessons Learned from the Field & the Mind
After more than 30 years in strip-till, Dean Sponheim has seen the wins,
setbacks and hard lessons learned that only time can teach. In this candid session, the 4th-generation farmer from Osage, Iowa, reveals what worked, what didn’t and the key adjustments that moved the needle on yield, soil health and efficiency during his 3-decade strip-till journey.
Sponheim also taps into his passion for helping farmers navigate the psychological barriers of implementing change. He shares strategies for
dealing with the feelings of being overwhelmed that hold some strip-tillers back from making key improvements. “No matter where you are in the process, there’s always room for improvement and change,” Sponheim says.
Marion Calmer
Alpha, Ill.
PREMIER LECTURE SERIES
Innovative Strip-Till Strategies to Boost the Bottom Line
Longtime strip-tiller and no-tiller Marion Calmer returns to the NSTC stage to share the latest discoveries from his independent on-farm research in Alpha, Ill. The 4-time Lessiter Media Speaker of the Year and No-Till Legend details his 10-10-10 System for strip-till and cover crops. Calmer aims to supercharge yields with the best of
both worlds by combining 10 inches of cover crops with 10 inches of
strip-tilled corn and 10 more inches of cover crops.
Plus, Calmer combs through soil test data to determine the correct depth for P and K placement. He also discusses the keys to chopping and spreading residue evenly ahead of fall strip-till and cover crop seeding.
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